<![CDATA[Purpose – This study aims to identify the dominant internal and external factors affecting RMU Kurnia Illahi and determine the optimal priority strategies for business development. The research focuses on addressing operational challenges faced by small-scale rice milling units serving both government procurement and private commercial markets. Design/Methodology/Approach – This study employs a descriptive sequential exploratory mixed-methods design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and Saaty 1–9 pairwise comparison questionnaires involving six purposively selected expert respondents, consisting of three internal and three external experts. The data were analyzed using SWOT analysis integrated with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), TOWS Matrix, and sensitivity analysis. The expert assessments were aggregated using the geometric mean method. Findings – The findings indicate that internal weaknesses are the dominant strategic factors with a weight of 0.436, followed by threats (0.299), opportunities (0.169), and strengths (0.096). The highest-priority development strategy is WO1, which focuses on standardizing machine parameters and implementing data-based quality-control SOPs, with a priority score of 0.220. Sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of this strategy. The results suggest that strengthening internal operational capabilities should be prioritized before pursuing broader market expansion. Originality/Value – This study contributes to strategic management and agribusiness literature by providing contextual evidence on business development strategies for small-scale rice milling units operating in dual-market environments. Methodologically, the integration of SWOT, AHP, TOWS, and sensitivity analysis offers a comprehensive decision-making framework for prioritizing operational improvements before market growth initiatives..]]>
